Automobile body construction



NOV.. 26, 1935. D G- HALL, JR

AUTOMOBILE BODY CONSTRUCTION` Filed Aug. 22, 1934 4-sheets-she'et 1 Attorney Nov. 26, 1935. D. G, HALL, JR f 2,022,344

AUTOMOBILE vBODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 22, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nve'ntof Nov. 26, 1935. D, G. HALL, JR

AUTOMOBILE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 22, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 26, 1935. D. G. HALL, JR

AUTOMOBILE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 22, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 26, 1.935

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-lcs 2,022,344 AUTOMOBILE BODY CONSTRUCTION David Gordon Hall, Jr., San Diego', Calif. Application August 22, 1934, Serial Noz-740,996

2 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to motor driven vehicles and particularly to automobiles.

More specifically, improved construction the invention consists in an of automobile bodies that v is readily adapted for obtaining the streamline effect now in vogue among designers of automobile bodies.

The invention, toge ther with its objectsy and advantages, Will be best understood fromva study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side eleva mobile embodying the vention With the body tional view of an autofeatures of the present inn in skeleton and they outer shell of the deck frame removed.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the deck frame with the outer shell removed.

Figure 3 is a front end view of the automobile with the outer shell of the deck frame and the body removed.

Figure 4 is a rear end view thereof with the outer shell of the deck frame and moved.

the body re- Flgure 5 is a transverse sectional vView through the body resting on the deck Figure 6 is a detail frame. fragmentary longitudinal View through the body.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail viewshovving the manner of securing the body to the deck l frame ofthe automobile.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary edge elevational view of the superimposed corrugated and flat pieces from which the body is made.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the details shown in Figure Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seen the present invention, present instance a coupe a coupling provided with erally at I0, and the motor driven vehicle, driving wheels I, rear ing I3, propeller shaft housing I4, transmission I5, internal combustion engine I6, front steering wheels front axle mechanism I9.

The improved body by the reference numeral 2l! and inner shell 2| formed plates Welded or corrugated as shown.

I8, and the usual steering is designated as a Whole consists of an of a plurality of metallic otherwise secured together and Disposed over and concealing the inner shell 2| is an outer shell 22 that is similarly forme d of a plurality of metallic plates welded or otherwise united together but these plates are flat as distinguished from being corrugated. At all points of contact, the shells 21| and! 22 are electrically welded or otherwise united.

In the construction of the body, the shells 2l 5 and 22 are now pressed to contour in all planes to providea body of the desired shape, in the present instance, the shape being extremely streamlined, provision of course being made for the cabin 23' which will, of course, be provided 10 with a Windshield and Windows as indicated generally at 24. Provision is also made to form a hood 25 and'in this connection, it will be noted that the hood 25 is'formed solely of the non-corrugated-plates. The' deck frame is'indicated gen- 15 erally at A and has spaced extensions 25 extending forwardly' constructed to accommodate the motor I5 between them.` The deck frame A is constructed-like the body with the exception that the shape'ofthe completed deck frame is pressed 20 into thefshape or configuration shown in Figures land 2.' That is to say, the smooth metal plates of the outer' shell 22a are welded to the crests vof the corrugated plates of the inner shell 2|a to form an inner and outer shell integral 25 with eachother.

In the area off the deck frame A where the splash aprons` 2'| and running boards 21a are formed',v the inner corrugated shell 2ia'and the outer smooth shell 22a are pressed to the custornaryrshapeform-ingVV thef'apron 2l, and the running boards 21a. Where the running boards 21a merge with the bottom of the apron the inner corrugated shell terminates while the outer smooth shell 22a extends horizontally outwardly to form the running boards 21a, all of which will appear by an inspection of Figures 5 and 7 of the drawings.

The body 20 and the deck frame A are secured to the coupling frame in the following manner: The outer sections 22a. of the deck frame or Valances are secured as by electric weldingor the like to web of channel members 28. The body proper has the outer shell 22 thereof extended beyond the edges of the inner shell 2| and the edges of the outer shell 22 are embedded in rubber 30 filling the channels of the channel bars 28 as clearly shown in Figure '7. Thus the bar 28 and the rubber 3|! forms a seam between the body proper 20 and the deck frame 50 A, and the rubber filling is anchored by one leg 50 of an angle bar. The other leg 5| of the angle bar is bolted as at 29 to the side of the channel bar 28.

If desired, the cabin part 23 of the body 22 55 may be strengthened or reinforced by a suitable skeleton frame structure 3| as suggested in Figure 6.

An automobile body embodying the features of the present invention will have numerous advantakes over the types of automobile body constructions now generally used. In accordance with the present invention, the body is composed essentially of two sections or shells 2| and 22. Each of these sections or shells are to be formed by proper presses in essentially two operations. In the rst operation, the hot or annealed plates are impressed with the corrugations. These corrugations are so designed that they will adapt themselves to the predetermined scheme of construction and will be in such a position as to aiTord maximum rigidity to the style of body under construction. The shells are then each pressed to the desired contour in all planes so that when placed one upon the other in the proper manner they may be welded together forming a single piece having the general characteristics of a longitudinally corrugated tube, and adapted for use as an automobile body having the predetermined contour most adaptable for the style of body intended.

Because of the unbroken external surface formed by the shell 22, a body construction of this type is ideally adapted to the construction 0i streamline vehicles, presenting minimum air resistance and turbulence. Further, because of the lightness in Weight of the body, the designer may place the center of gravity where it will be possible to obtain the greatest road stability without at the same time increasing the weight of the automobile.

Further, because of the lack of necessity of internal bracing and therefore thin apparent thickness, it is possible to obtain with this type of construction maximum interior dimensions with minimum exterior dimensions. Also, owing to the self-contained bracing and other features of strength and of self-support of this type of body construction, a sub-frame for a body made of this material is unnecessary. Likewise, the shape of the body is obtained and retained Without the useof a contour structure or subframe as is now required where rigidity, strength and self-support is sought after in automobile body constructions.

Also, a body of this character will have minimum vibration and reverberations as generally give rise to the body noises and drumming characteristic of the present types of automobile body constructions.

A body construction of this character will also be a great safety factor while at the same time allowing for extreme streamline contours.

The type of seam construction herein described and clearly shown in Figure 7 permits the body to be held evenly along its entire length and not merely at some few points as is the case where bolting of the body to the chassis frame is re sorted to and asis the present practice. Further the use of rubber involved in the construction forming the seam between the body member and the apron, and also constituting the connection between the body and the chassis frame prevents frictional noises between the body and frame and also prevents the transmission of unavoidable chassis noises to the body.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary automobile construction comprising a body formed entirely of an outer smooth shell and an inner corrugated shell jointed together and shaped into a body conguration, a I

deck frame formed of an outer smooth shell and an inner corrugated shell joined together and shaped into a deck frame, a coupling frame secured to the outer smooth shell of the deck frame, a portion of the smooth shell of the body extending beyond the inner corrugated shell and secured to the coupling frame whereby the body and deck frame are joined together.

2. A unitary automobile construction comprising a body formed entirely of an outer smooth shell and an inner corrugated shell joined together and shaped into a body configuration, a deck frame formed of an outer smooth Shell and an inner corrugated shell joined together and shaped into a deck frame, a coupling frame secured to the outer smooth shell of the deck frame, a portion of the smooth shell of the body extending beyond the inner corrugated shell and secured to the coupling frame whereby the body and deck frame are joined together, and a portion of the outer smooth shell of the deck frame extended beyond the corrugated inner shell to form running boards on the opposite sides of the automobile.

' DAVID GORDON HALL, J R. 

